Treating hyperpigmentation is tricky and often frustrating, so it's no surprise that Latinas cite hyperpigmentation as one of their top skin care concerns. Hyperpigmentation is caused by overproduction of the pigment melanin, and refers to any area of skin that's darker than surrounding skin. It can be caused by anything from a mosquito bite to hormonal fluctuations, says Miami-based Heather Woolery-Lloyd, M.D.

There are a wide range of factors that cause hyperpigmentation, including processes embedded in your skin cells, genetics, environmental factors and hormones. Because darker skin tones naturally have more melanin, hyperpigmentation is more pronounced -- and although Latin women have varying skin tones, they are often prone to more noticeable and long-lasting changes that are more difficult to treat.

According to Woolery-Lloyd, a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in pigmentation problems for women of color, hydroquinone is the best ingredient on the market. "I like to call it the machine gun. It's really quick, and it's a great fix, but not as a long-term treatment," she says. Woolery-Lloyd warns that it can cause serious irritation for people with sensitive skin, and some people may experience an allergic reaction or permanent lightening of the treated skin.

Woolery-Lloyd says that the most effective treatments attack dark spots from multiple angles, aka combination therapy. "New" treatments on the market are simply new combinations of plant-based ingredients working synergistically with synthetic ones.

Here are the best hyperpigmentation-treating tag teams -- which, when coupled with a few lifestyle changes, get the fastest results.